The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-11-29
FARMS AND FARMERS.
Short Talks With the Men Who
Guide the Plow.
QUERRIESON FARM TOPICS ANSWERED
Winter Work,


After the crops are gathered there is O dis
position to procrastinate, to defer work until
toward spring. The result is that the farmer
Is usually verylmuch crowdediin the spring ;ihis
work gets much ahead of him and pushes him
hard.i Especially is this the case in wet springs.
Imperfect work is the consequence, and the
evil effects OF it follow him through all subse-
quent cultivation Of his crops. 1t is an old
and excellent adage that q farmer should push
his work, and never let his work push him.
To do this he must look well ahead and plan
5udiciously; he must be yigilant and ener-
getic.
Let him ask himself now: Is there any
necessary or desirable work which can be done
through the winter about as we'll as any other
time? A moments reflection will suggest
good many First all those operations
which look to the stopping of injury done by
rains. Hillside ditching, terracing and filling
OF gullies. Second, removing distractions,
grubs, rocks stumps,, etc. Third, repairing
Farm roads, bridges, etc. Fourth, repairing
implements, preparing duplicate parts to pro-
vide for accidents, making axe and hoe helyes,
single and double trees, wagon bodies, hay
frames. etc. Every one of these things can be
done during the winter, and leave the farmer
free i'll spring and summer to devote his entire
time and energy to the preparation for tho
planting and the cultivation of his crops.
Hillside ditches-If one has these, they are
quite sure to need some looking after They
will be found INSTRUCTED in places, perhaps
broken over III some, little washes may BIO
farms just above where the water runs into
them. The sooner these things are corrected
the better, delay only increases the evils they
produce. An obstruction may soon cause q
breakover the washes at break
overs will grow deeper with
every rain Remember that the
cause CT break over is always below the
point where it occurS-too narrow or too shall
low place in the ditch-a root or stump
which has collected trash, etc., etc. When
new bitches have to be run, the ground in
winter is irSgood condition for making them
1T is moist and soft. The pillow alone can do
nine-tenths of the work. A two-horse hill
side pillow is the proper one. Mark off the line
of ditch, then start the pillow the distance of
five or six burrows below the marked-off llne,
and pillow up TO it, throwing dirt down hill all
the time. This done, go over and over again.
beginning each time one furrow nearer the
line of ditch than was done before Finally
wide, deep furrow will be formed along the
line of ditch with broad dam below it, Now
run in this furrow a V shaped opener, made
of stout plank, and two and half feet wide
behind, and you win have nice, broad ditch
without a lick of hoe shovel, unless there
should be roots rock to be removed.
But, except for cutting off water from I'M
cultivated slopes, ETC., terraces are preferable
to bitches. Terracing is best done in fail and
early winter-partly because there is then
more leisure, partly because, moro time is
given the terrace borders to settle and become
firm before the heavy rains of spring attack
them. Lay oil border lines exactly on level,
going down hill for the next one, just three
feet below Qneasured on horizontal line) the
one above Make broad list along the line.
leaving the centre of the list unbroken by the
pillow. This is all that is actually necessary
If this list is never disturbed it will grow up in
weeds and grass, and win filter out and catch
the dirt washing down from above. Unas-
sisted, it may take years to make level
terrace. BY breaking land with a hillside
plow. throwing dirt down hin all the time
the result will be fastened. We commend
terracing with greatest confidence to all who
have rolling lands liable to wash.
For filling gullies what better time can be
found than the present. The fields are in
great measure unoccupied by crops, and wa
CONS and teams may pass over them without
detriment. All manner of distractions, as
rocks, loose stumps, bushes and briars, which
should now be removed furnish material for the
work. 1t Is unnecessary labor to fill a gulley
along its whole length. DISTINCTIONS placed
at intervals answer every purpose These will
catch and hold the dirt which finds its yay
into the gulley, and that is the main point to
be looked after. If gully is not too deep.
plow or cut down its edges so that horse can
cross it. II good Instructions arc placed
across gulley, and they are crossed in plough
ing, and the dirt and trash on pillow shaken
Off i'll passing over, il is wonderful how soon
it will I'LL up. Plow the edges
of the galley in crossing, bat never
loosen up the bottom-let that
remain firm and grow up in weeds and grass.
When gully is necessity as an outlet for
water, sufficient Instructions should be placed
in it TO keep it shallow enough to allow cross
ing with the plow, If not with wagons. Where
crossing is practiced, the edges of the gulley
can easily be kept clear of bushes which other
wise grow UP rapidly and deface the field, or
else require mach labor every year to keep
them down.
Where rocks are present in cultivated fields,
it is true economy to remove them. They re-
tard hoeing, and they interfere with blowing.
The time thus lost would soon pay the cost OF
removing them. If too large to handle they
may often be broken up by building a fire on
them and pouring water on them when hot
Sometimes they may be quite readily broken
with heavy hammer. If neither Of these are
practicable, a hole near by may be dug. and
the rock buried out Of sight and ont of reach
of pillow. No better use GAN he made of smaller
rocks than to make distinctions in gullies.
w. L. ).
J. A. H., Thomasyille, Ca Please give me inf)r
NATION So to the following:
]. How would saw Gust 10 to take tie plnee of
leaves or straw in making manure in stable or lot
for compostingl
2. What is the best distance to plant cotton on
poor land 10 get the best YIELD also on good Land TO
get the est yicll
8. lfyou were going 20 try and see how much
corn you could raise On sandy upland using cotton
seed and stable manure fertilizer how would Won
fix TO Plant al acre?
/. Presume yon refer to pine sawdust. If
freshly sawn, the resin it is Objectionable
freely used it would he somewhat injurious TO
vegetation When old and long exposed to
weather, it is less Objectionable. If dry it is a
good absorbent and therefore a good deal used
by liyerystable men, who care little about the
quality Of manure. Bat sawdust is decidedly
inferior 10 leaves or straw as an ingredient OF